Great Falls tribune., 1887-02-26
AN IMPOSITION.

The burning OF William St0ddaTQ2S SS-
| loon which was mentioned in the columns
| OF your paper by certain citizen Of Dodge
some few weeks ago, has caused consid-
cradle talk by the settlers OF Chestnut val
ley, and as your worthy paper has always
| been an organ to sound the voice of the
people. | will venture to give q few facts
concerning this matter which may have
tendency to elucidate the mysterious man
ner in which miscreants escaped due pun
ishment.
In the first place, Chas. Hall was left to
tend bar for Stoddard during his absence
which of course was all right, and a Ger
tain gang of graders, knowing that Hall
was easily duped, arranged a plan to work
him for what "stuff" was in the house.
They accordingly went to the saloon and
three Of them entertained Hall in game
of cards for the drinks. while the others
Iounged around the room. When the
game of cards was ended H. stepped be-
hind the bar to serve the drinks, and to
his astonishment found that everything,
books included were gone. The crowd
laughed and told him if he would step
outside perhaps he might find them Hall
then started out in the darkness in pursuit
of the robbers. At this juneture one of
the head men told Herman Hall man
who Stoddard had granted permission to
sleep in the saloon, to roll up his blankets
and 60 down to his dug-out and sleep that
night, and further, that if the dawn of the
following day would find him in that Vi
cinity that it would so hard with him. He
was also compelled to shake hands and
say that he would never reveal anything
seen there that night AS he was going
away, he looked back and saw the leader
of the gang pour kerosene oil On some
stools and benches and set fire to them.
The next morning before breakfast, both
Of the Halls fled for their lives.
This evidence was elected from Her
man and Charles Hall before witnesses
and is undoubtedly authentic. The names
of all persons connected with the robbery
and fire was given and everything seemed
favorable for the conviction of the Grim
inals. But when arrests were made, and
the criminals taken to Sun River crossing,
they were granted freedom to roam around
town and go where they pleased. OF
course this would have been all right had
it not been for them gaining access to the
only remaining witness, Herman Hall who
was there swaitiag trial, but just before
the trial came off, gang of the drunken
miscreants got hold of Hall, got him drunk
and threatened him with violence if he
swore against them, (Which he afterwards
confessed) and the results OF the threats
have been seen.
The trial was E.ockery from beginning
to end. The whole thing was mere farce.
The dignity of court was trampled on;
which the Judge tolerated without muir
muir; half of the gang was sWilled with
drink and the other half void of honor
Some boasted of being Knights Of Labor:
others had no scruples in claiming allegi-
ence to the Molly Maguiras; and what
could you do with mob of that kind?
Herman Hall, although a German,
speaks good English, but when he was
brought on the stand he knew no English
at all, and had to have an Interpreter. He
was so badly scared that he declared he
knew nothing Of the affair whatever. The
consequence was that the county had a
heavy bill to lquidate without getting
anything in return.
So far in this article the facts have been
given and without adornment, have
avoided personalities as near as possible
and intend doing so until the proper time
comes. but Oh! would like to mention a
few persons who took an activo part in the
vindication of these ruff1ns; would like
to show them up to the publicland score
them to their hearts core
OF course the house thai was rebbed
and burned was nothing but saloon, and
it would in my estimation, be good
thing for the country if all Of them were
destroyed; but that is not the question. II
one person is permitted to commit such
depredations, through malice and spite,
and the law upholds him, what won't he
| do next? I tell you positively, to uphold
such proceedings is to encourage it, and
to encourage it is to invite the foot padsof
the country into our homes to destroy our
| property, to ravish our wives, to murder
our children, and suffer ourselves to be
x,4+ rkn